Tie plate



H. G. WARR 'mmh 31. 1925.

TIE PLATE v FledApril 2l. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 31, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT ossics.

HAROLD Gr. VJARR, F PARK RIDGE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO TVI-IE P @a M COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

TIE PLATE.

Application filed April 21, 1924.

[o @ZZ toll-om it may concern.

Bc it known that l, HAROLD G. vWann, a citizen ot the United States, residing at Park Ridge, in the county of* Cook and Stale ot illinois, have invented certain neiv and useful improvements in Tie Plates, oit waich the following is a specification.

niy invention relates to devices for resisting the longitudinal creeping movement oi railroad rails and has for its primary object the provision ot an improved arrangement otl such devices with relation to each other whereby an additional area oi a cross tie is made ell'ective ior resisting said creeping movement.

ii more specil'ic object ot the invention is to provide a tie plate ot improved construction adapted, 'when in its normal position between a railroad rail and a cross tie, to provide an abutment adapted to receive a portion ot the creeping pressures exerted b v a rail anchor, ot the general type intended to bear against a vertical face of the tie, anc transmit said creeping pressures to the tie at points remote from the said vertical i'ace oi the tie.

Another object of the 'invention is to provide a tiey plate which is so constructed and attached to a cross tie that when the plate is used in connection with a rail anchor of the character above mentioned, it ivill tend to rotate during the presence of creeping pressure on the rail so as to effect a shackle grip on opposite edges of the rail base and thereby transmit a portion of said creeping pressure directly from the rail to the means for attaching the tie plate to the tie.

Another object is to provide a tie plate which may be made to correspond in length, thickness and Weight to the various tie plates nonY in general use and which at the same time may be made of sutticient Width to extend to the opposite side faces of the cross tie without Waste ot material in its manufacture.

il further objectis to provide a tie plate vfith ribs adapted to be embedded in the tie, which ribs are so formed as to permit a rotational movement ot the anchor but resist displacement thereof longitudinally oit the rail, so as to permit thel tie plate or its attaching means, as the case may be, to take Serial No. 707.957.

a shackle hold on the rail. and at thesame time provide additional tie engaging means tor resisting longitudinal movement ofthe rail.

The creeping pressure oi railroad rails has a tendency to embed certaintypes .o'lf'rail anchors (having relatively small tie: engaging surfaces) into the upper edge of the tie, thereby damaging the tie and impairing the eiiectiveness ot the anchor. rlhis condition is particularly prominent in .situations Where tie plates are interposed between the tie and the rail becausethe tie plates raise the anchors with relation to the adjacent cross ties and thereby 'further reduce ltheir tie engaging surfaces.-

One ot the specific; objects contemplated by this invention is to overcome the 'above mentioned and other incidental objections to the use of rail anchors of the above character by providing a tie plate of improved construction Which provides an abutment `for such anchors and distributes the pressure Yfrom said anchors to the upper surface of the tie. The invention is illustrated in tivo preierredl embodiments in the accompanying drawings wherein Fig. 1 is a plan view` of a tieplate constructed and arranged in accordance with my invention to transmit a portion ot the creeping stresses of the rail to points remote from the vertical edge of the cross tie.

Fig. 2 is a vtace view ot the arrangement and construction shown in Fig. 1, the rail base being shown in section for the purpose of clearness.

Fig. 3 is a side vienT of theconstruction and arrangement shoivn in Figs. land 2.

Fig. 4 is a plan view, on a reduced scale, of a metal bar from which the tie plates shown in the preceding ligures are sheared.

Fig. 5 is a vieuY similar to Fig. 1 showing another embodiment of my invention.

Fig. G is a face view oi the embodiment shown in Fig. 5 and Fig. 7 is a detail view in perspective oi' the tie plate shown in Figs. 5 and 6.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to L inclusive ot the dranfings: 10 designates a'railroadrail, 11 a cross tic on which the rail is supported, 12 a rail anchor secured to tho rail',

and 13 a tie plate made in accordance with in Fig. 1.

one embodiment of my invention interposed in its normal operative position between the rail and cross tie.

The rail anchor herein shown is a one piece device adapted to bear against a vertical face of the cross tie 11 and consists of a bar formed at one end With a. jaw portion 14 adapted to grip the upper and lower surfaces of the rail base and provided at the other end With an upturned portion providing a shoulder Which engages the opposite edge of the rail base to prevent movement of the anchor in a direction to loosen the grip of said jaw on the rail. This specific type of anchor device, by reason of its relatively small tie abutting area, has been illustrated for the purpose of` emphasizing certain advantages obtained by this invention. It will be obvious, hoivever, thatvthe invention is not limited in its usefulness to anchor devices of the specific construction illustrated, but may be used to an advantage With various specific forms of anchor devices adapted to abut against` the vert-ical face of a cross tie to resist longitudinal creeping movement of the rail.

Rail anchors of the above character having relatively small tie abutting area have ing pressure, and thereby so damage the tie as to reduce its life and also reduce the effectiveness of the anchor. This tendency is increased When a tie plate is used, since the insertion of the tie plate in the usual manner between the rail and the tie raises the rail with relation to the cross tie and therefore reduces the tie bearing area of the anchor attached to the rail.

With my invention such objections are overcome by arranging the tie plates so that one of the edges coincides with the vertical face of the tie and thereby provides a metallic abutment for the anchor device adapted to transmit a portion of the creeping pressure of the rail to the tie plate attaching means at points remote from the vertical face of the tie.

The tie plate 13 shown in Figs. 1 to l inclusive, is preferably substantially flat on its top and bottom surfaces and is secured to the tie by means of spikes 16, 1Gn and 17, 17'a arranged on opposite sides of the rail. The spike openings 18 in the tie plate are preferably made slightly larger than the spikes so that the tie plate may shift to a slight angular position, as shown The tie plates are preferably sheared from a flat bar B on Z-shaped lines C-D (Fig. t) so that tie plates of the usual length and thickness may be formed to extend to opposite faces of a cross tie Without using a greater amount of metal than is required to manufacture a fiat tie plate of the usual form and Weight now in general use. By providing the plate 13 with Z-shaped edges the tie plate and the anchor device engage each other at one side only of the rail. With such an arrangement, the creeping pressure of the rail tends to rotate the plate and thereby force the diagonally disposed spikes 16 and 17LL into gripping engagement With the opposite edges of the rail base, whereby the vertical face of the tie 11 is relieved of that portion of 'the creeping pressure which is transmitted to the tie by reason of the shackle hold of the spikes on the rail base and also relieves the vertical face of the tie of that portion of the creeping pressure transmitted directly to the edge of the tie plate.

The summary of the operation is as follovvs: The rail anchor 12 is applied to the rail 10 in a usual manner so as to bear against the vertical face of the tie 11. The tie plate 13 is then positioned betvveen the rail and the tie so as to extend to opposite faces of the tie 11, and is attached to the tie with a suitable number of spikes Which pass through the tie plate and also engage the rail base. lVhen the rail 10 is subjected to creeping pressure in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1, the pressure is transmitted to the vertical face of the tie and to the edge of the tie plate 13. The portion of this pressure transmitted to the edge of the tie plate 13 is transmitted to the several attaching spikes and effects a rotary movement of the tie plate Which brings the diagonally disposed spikes against the rail base to effect a shackle grip thereon.

It Will also be observed, that the configuration of the tie plate makes it possible to apply anchor devices in such positions as to bear against either or both faces of the tie Without affecting the rotation of the plate or the shackle hold of the diagonally disposed spikes 16-17EL as above referred to.

1n Figs. 5 to 7 inclusive, I have illustrated another embodiment of my invention, in which the tie plate 19 is formed on its upper surface With shoulders 20-20 adapted to engage opposite edges of the rail base, and is formed on its bottom surface With circular ribs 21, 22, 23 and 24. The rib 2,1 is preferably arranged centrally of the plate 19 and the other ribs 22, 23 and 24 are disposed concentric thereto. The ribs embed themselves in the upper surface of the tie and thereby increase the tie gripping area of the tie plate and at the same time permit the tie plate to rotate freely during the presence of creeping pressure. The rotational movement of the tie plate brings the diagonally opposite ends 201-20u of 'the shoulders 20 into engagement with the opposi-tc vertical edges of the rail base so as to effect a shackle hold thereon When the rail is subjected to creeping pressure. in

other respects the tie plate construction and the arrangements shown in Figs. 5 to 7 inclusive may be and preferably are the saine as those shown in Figs. 1 to 1 inclusive.

It will also be apparent that one of the shoulders 20 of the tie plate shown in Figs. 5 and 7 may be omitted if desired and such plate positioned with the shoulder engaging either side of the rail base. vWith such arrangement it will be noted that the edges of the tie plate providing the abutment for the anchor devices will be in the sameV position as that shown in Figs. 5 to 7 so that the jaw portion of the anchor may be driven upon the inner or outer flange of the rail as may be desired. Another advantage presented by tie plates of my configuration and particularly the flat plate shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive is that it may be readily inverted andwhen so applied provides an abutment for the jaw portion of an anchor applied to the opposite side of the rail7 such for example as may be desirable when applying anchors to the outside of running rails having guard rails disposed along their inner side.

`With the tie plate construction shown in Figs. 5 to 7 inclusive the ribs on the under surface of the plate become embedded in the tie, thereby relieving the spikes from a portion of the creeping pressure, the creeping pressure being distributed over a larger' area of the upper surface of the ties by means of the embedded ribs 21, 22, 23 and 24. The creeping pressure on the rail imparted to the edge of the tie plate through the rail anchor 12 tends to rotate the plate about its central point, thereby bringing the opposite ends of the shoulders on the upper surface of the plate into gripping engagement with the edges of the rail base and thereby transmits a portion of the creeping pressure of the rail directly to the tie 11 through the several ribs on the under surface of the tie plate and the attaching spikes. The spike openings are made of suitable size to permit the desired rotational movement.

While I have illustrated two specific embodiments of tie plates in connection with certain other specific devices for illustrating the operation and utility of my invention, it will be obvious that further modifications of the tie plate may be made and that various other forms of rail anchors may be used in connection with such plates without departure from the spirit of the invention. I therefore wish it understood that my invention contemplates all such modifications in construction and arrangement as come within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The combination of a tie plate inter'- posed between a rail and a cross tie, and a rail anchor secured to the rail and adapted to abut against a vertical face of the tiet; said tie plate being secured to the tie in position to'abut against said anchor, whereby creeping movement of the rail imparts a rotary movement to the tie plate.

2. The combination of a rail anchor attached to a rail in position to bear against a vertical face of a cross` tie and a tie plate interposed between the rail and the upper face ofth'e tie; said tie platebeing provided with a projection which extends at one side of the rail to said vertical faceof thetie to provide an abutment for said rail anchor.

The combination of a rail anchor attached to a rail in position to bear againsta vertical face ofa cross tie and a tie plate interposed between the rail and the upper face of the tie; said tie plate being formed with a substantially Z-shaped edge to provide a projection which extends at oneside of the rail to said vertical face of the tie to provide an abutment for said rail anchor.

il. The combination of a` rail anchor attached to a rail in position to bear against a vertical face of a cross ti'e and a tie plate interposed between said rail' and the upper face of the tie; said tie plate being formed with oppositely disposed substantially Z- shaped edges to provide projections which extend to opposite vertical faces of the tie, for the purpose described,

5. The combination of a rail anchor attached to a rail in position to bear against a vertical face of a cross tie and a tieplate interposed betweenl the rail and the` upper face of the tie; said tie plate being formed with oppositely disposed substantially Z-shaped edges to provide projections which extend to opposite vertical faces of said tie, whereby the creeping pressure of the rail transmitted to either' of said projections imparts a rotational movement to said tie plate for the purpose described.

6. The combination with a rail anchor attached to a rail in position to bear against a vertical face of a cross tie, of means for transmitting a portion of the creeping pressure from the rail to points of the tie remote from the said vertical face thereof comprising a tie plate interposed between the rail and the upper face of the tie in position to abut against the rail anchor; the edge of the plate adjacent said anchor being formed with a projection, whereby the engagement between said plate and anchor is confined to points at one side of the vertical center of the rail. i

7. A tie plate formed on its bottom surface with ribs adapted to b'e embedded in the tie to prevent movement of the plate longitudinally of the rail7 but which permits rotational movement of said plate.

8. A tie plate formed on its bottom surface with curved ribs adapted to be embedded in the cross tie, whereby the said plate when in its normal operative position has capacity for rotational movement but is held against movement longitudinally of the rail.

9. A tie plate formed on its bottom surface With curved concentrically disposed ribs adapted to be embedded in the cross tie, whereby the said plate when in its normal operative position has capacity for rotational movement but is held against movement longitudinally of the rail.

10. A tie plate formed on its upper surface With abutments for opposite edges of a rail and provided on its bottom surface With curved concentrically disposed ribs adapted to be embedded in the cross tie7 whereby the said plate When in its normal operative position has capacity for rotational movement but is held against movement longitudinally of the rail.

l1. A tie plate formed on its upper surface With abutments adapted to bear against opposite edges of a rail base and formed on its bottom surface with curved concentrically disposed ribs adapted to be embedded in the tie; said plate being formed With corner portions Which project to the opposite vertical faces of the said tie.

l2. A tie plate formed on its upper surface With abutments adapted to bear against opposite edges of a rail base and formed on its bottom surface with curved concentrically disposed ribs adapted to be embedded in a tie; the end portions of said plate being normally of vless Width than the tie on which it is supported and the plate being formed with a corner projection which extends to a vertical face of the said tie.

13. A tie plate formed on its upper surface with abutments adapted to bear against opposite edges of a rail base and formed on its bottom surface with curved concentrically disposed ribs adapted to be embedded in a tie; said plate being formed With diagonally disposed corner portions which project to the opposite vertical faces of the said tie.

14. The combination of a rail anchor adapted to be secured to a rail in position to bear against a vertical face of a cross tie, and a tie plate positioned between said rail and said tie; a portion of said plate being normally less in Width than the Width of the tie on which it is supported and said plate being provided With a projection which extends to said vertical face of the tie to provide an abutment for said anchor.

l5. The combination of a rail anchor adapted to be secured to a rail in position to bear against a vertical face of across tie, and a tie plate formed on its under Surface with means ladapted to be embedded in the tie; a portion of said plate being normally less in Width than the Width of the tie on which it is supported and said plate being formed with a projection which extends to said vertical face of the tie to provide an abutment for said anchor.

HAROLD G. VARR. 

